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A to Z Challenge: Kinetic Weapons Are Just Better

This year, I am once again taking part in the April adventure that is the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. For those unfamiliar with the concept, it's basically about 26 posts (we don't post Sundays), preferably on a theme, blogging our way through the alphabet from A to Z. My theme this year is all about TV Tropes, celebrating random tropes with some sort of weird, odd, unusual, controversial, or taboo element that appeals to my warped sense of literary adventure.

Continuing the theme, we have Kinetic Weapons Are Just Better (check out the page for a complete definition, but your first guess is probably pretty close to the mark). After a quick perusal of the Literature examples provided, I've gotta go with:

"In the Deathstalker series, projectile (kinetic) weapons are actually banned throughout The Empire due to their ease of use and production making revolts easier to arm. They were replaced by swords and blasters - the latter of which are powered by Green Rocks. The blasters take two minutes to recharge, and force shields will stop most projectile weapons... though that drains the fields' power fast. Ultimately, this trope is even lampshaded during a siege."

Comments

I loved the Deathstalker series and thought it was underrated in the space opera department. I thought the swords and blaster (what a great name for a subgenre) was one of the reasons I liked it so much.

I'm just on the 2nd book now, but I love it. You're right in that it doesn't get the respect it deserves. It's like a darker, more mature version of Star Wars, but one with real blood and real consequences.

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